Embraces are Love
by Fang323
Summary: Arthur has led a rather unfortunate early life.  One little colony could change that for the better with a simple hug.


Hey there, Fang here.

I'm back! My con was Great! I met so many awesome people, everyone from Hetalia was there, and the scary part was, there were at least 7 Russias...since when did the Communistic Nation get so popular?

Haha! But here, I wrote this in Mythology class...

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><p>Arthur was never good at hugs.<p>

Actually, in the first few centuries of his life, he was never even familiar with friendship or care Any sort of interaction was violent, hurting, and to be avoided at all costs.

He never thought that he was needed. Scotland, Wales, Ireland…they made this certain in his mind. France seemed somewhat who could free him from this never-ending cycle of running and hiding and simple survival, but they fought constantly from the moment Arthur was born. He was a prize to be won, a personality to be wiped clean, a land to conquer.

Yet despite hatred, threats, and fear, he lived on. He grew up quickly after his first straining centuries, as fighting dies down enough for him to take time and tear away from animalistic instincts of need for survival. England knew the feeling of conquering now. To have countries under your control, countries that could no longer hurt you, destroy you, it was an exhilarating feeling. Floating on the great oceans, he felt all the power of the world in his hands. Nations fell before him, submitting to his rule. Neither his brothers nor France could touch him, England, the empire where the sun never sets. He was power. He was strength. He was the British Empire.

His pirate days were slowing down now, but still he colonized. The words known to him did not include friendship, love, family. In his rise to power, he had unwittingly built up a shield around him, never letting anyone in to who Arthur Kirkland was. He was only England to the world, nothing more, nothing less. Any sort of reversion to the frightened, paranoid, and wary young boy named Arthur was crushed again and again inside his heart, dead for all intents and purposes to England.

And then the 17th century rolled around, and he was fighting France again, only this time over a small boy found in the New World. England didn't expect to win after France brought out the food, but for an unexplainable reason, the little colony chose him. Looking into the eager sky blue eyes of Alfred, he could sense the stirring of Arthur inside of him, that need for him to emerge. But the Kingdom of Great Britain pushed the man down again, though he sat patiently under the waters of his weakening cage, waiting for the moment where England would break.

That day was soon in the making.

England was walking aback to his house in the new world after a long day of keeping France from invading his borders again. Alfred was probably asleep by now, considering it was drawing on ten o'clock. England would check to make sure his charge was alright, then have a cup of tea and finish some political papers.

He opened the door to the house and walked in. He didn't call for his colony as he slipped off his coat and hung it on the coatrack. He was just about to walk into the tearoom when-

"ARTIE!"

A flying bundle of little child flew right at him from the stairs and crashed into his chest, knocking his breath out and sending the two of them onto the floor.

"Oof! Al…fred…?"'

The boy's head popped up from his chest and he grinned.

"You're back, Artie!"

With that, he threw his arms around England's neck in a tight hug. England's eyes widened and his mouth opened in a silent cry of surprise. Arthur broke free from the confines.

"Wha-What are you doing?"

Alfred looked at him, confused.

"I'm hugging you?"

"…Oh…" Arthur still lay on the floor, his arms at his sides, unsure of what to do. This was…new…and shocking. This was a hug. He was being hugged. Him. Arthur was being hugged.

Alfred looked at him poutingly.

"Aren't you gonna hug back?"

Arthur glanced at him, confused.

"I…ah…"

Alfred had already taken the initiative. He reached down and grabbed Arthur's arms, pulling them around himself.

"See? Now you just hug tighter! Like this!"

He wrapped his arms around Arthur again and squeezed. The Englishman, left with no other alternative, did as Alfred told him to, and Alfred curled up in his arms.

"I missed you, Artie…" Alfred murmured. A few minutes later, he was asleep, his fingers grasping the back of Arthur's shirt.

Arthur couldn't bring himself to move off the floor. He couldn't bring himself to remove his arms from the sleeping child so he could get up. He couldn't even bring himself to wipe away the single drop of relieved happiness falling from his eye.

It was less than two hundred years later that the WWII was finally over inEurope. Arthur slumped over his gun, spent and exhausted from the years of fighting. But it was over. That's all that mattered. He gave a half-laugh and stood up to his full height in triumph and reassured.

"Oh my God, Arthur!"

Arthur only half-expected the whirling ball of American energy hurtling at him, but he didn't expect it to stop right in front of him without knocking him off his feet. Alfred looked at him with joy and relief in his eyes, a few feet away from him.

"We won, Artie! It's gonna be ok now! Yeah!"

The American did a fist-pump to the sky and a yell of victory that reverberated throughout the land. Arthur laughed his first real laugh since this whole bloody thing started, and gave a small nod of approval.

Alfred glanced at Arthur, and then walked over and wrapped his arms around his older brother gently, enveloping him in a thankful embrace. That shiver of being uncomfortable shocked its way through Arthur with the first touch, but he didn't freeze up anymore. Hesitatingly, he brought his arms around Alfred and squeezed slightly, allowing himself to relax in the safety of warmth and family, two things he had never experienced until that fateful day 150 years ago. He was needed. He was loved.

Arthur was never good at hugs.

But he was getting better.

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><p>AUTHOR'S COMMENTS:<p>

Yeah, yeah, I know, I'm still stuck on Iggy's childhood...but I thought this was a cute idea...

Silly Arthur, Learn to hug correctly!

...Yes.

For all of you who enjoy "Young Again", I hope to publish a chapter today as well, so keep your eyes pealed...oh, and if you want to read fics done by my friend who RPs with me for these ideas, go to her account at dragonlover24186. I like them, and so should you!

Anyway, I'll see you all later! I love reviews...as I've mentioned before on every chapter of every fic that i've ever published...but still! They are like tea to me...i go through withdrawels...^_^

-Fang


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